1. (1) The Department will consider a waiver request under section 288.062(8), F.S., from a rural fund. The rural fund must provide evidence to the Department that the business is located on land classified as agricultural under section 193.461, F.S., or that the primary residence of a majority of the business’s employees is in a rural community as defined in section 288.062(2)(j), F.S.

   1. (a) The rural fund must provide official property tax statements, online records from the applicable county property appraiser’s office, recorded deed, or recorded plat map as evidence that the business is located on land classified as agricultural.
   2. (b) The rural fund must provide copies of driver’s licenses, voter registration cards, lease or mortgage statements, tax statements, recorded deeds, online records from the applicable county property appraiser’s office, or utility bills that show the business’s employee’s primary residence is in a rural community. The rural fund must provide this documentation for a majority of the business’s employees as evidence that the employees’ primary residence is in a rural community. Majority of the business’s employees means more than 50 percent of all full-time employees have their primary residence in a rural community.
2. (2) Effect of waiver. A waiver granted under section 288.062(8), F.S., does not alter the requirement in section 288.062, F.S., that at least 70 percent of the investment authority be invested in rural communities.

Rulemaking Authority 288.062(13) FS. Law Implemented 288.062 FS. History–New 4-22-26.